Clothing such as shorts

ABSTRACT

Clothing such as shorts is capable of preventing seamlines between the left and right edges of a back body and the left and right edges of a front body respectively as well as the edges of back high-thigh-size portions of high-thigh size portions from adversely affecting the appearance of an outer garment worn thereover. 
     Seamlines between left and right edges of a front body and left and right edges of a back body are positioned on both left and right sides of the front/back of the clothing respectively so as to come to the parts on both sides of the hips of a person. The edge of a back high-thigh-size portion of a high-thigh size portion is formed in a seamless hem manner, in a free cut, or in an overcast stitch for preventing the edge from fraying out.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to clothing such as shorts, pants, a bathing suit, a leotard and briefs, and more specifically, it relates to improvements in clothing such as shorts which is capable of fitting excellently to the shape of the bulgy buttocks in the lower region of the hips of a person, preventing hip hemlines thereof from rising when the person is walking or is in a crouching posture or the like, and improving the wearing feeling.

BACKGROUND ART

The same applicant earlier presented clothing such as shorts of this type, which as shown in FIGS. 15 to 17, includes a stretchable front body 11 and a stretchable back body 12, the front body 11 being formed bilaterally symmetrically with a front high-thigh-size portion 16 a which is downward opened and constitutes a high-thigh size portion (a leg opening) 16, the front body 11 being cut out so that left and right edges 15, 15 of the front body 11 intersect with the left and right front high-thigh-size portions 16 a, 16 a respectively at the lower ends thereof and so that portions of the left and right edges 15, 15 extending from vertical intermediate positions to the lower ends thereof are each formed into an outward-convex curved edge 15 a, a portion 15 b lower than a vertical intermediate position of the curved edge 15 a being formed into a linear or curved shape, left and right edges 19, 19 of the stretchable back body 12 being sewn to the left and right edges 15, 15 of the front body 11 respectively, and seamlines L between those edges being each formed so as to elongate from back waist portions 14, 27, detour outward around a top part 30 of each of the buttocks of a person and reach a hip hemline (a back high-thigh-size portion) 16 b (refer to Patent Document 1). In addition, a strip-like rubber 31 is sewn to the high-thigh size portion 16 over the full periphery (the front high-thigh-size portion 16 a and a back high-thigh-size portion ranging from a lower part of the front high-thigh-size portion 16 a up to the back high-thigh-size portion 16 b provided in the back body 12).

In this clothing such as shorts, in a non-worn state, an adequate three-dimensional bulge approximating to the body shape of a person is obtained in the vicinity of the hip hem, and hence, in a worn state, the hip hemlines (the back high-thigh-size portions) 16 b fit deeply to the gluteal groove part to deeply envelop the hip lower region of the person. Therefore, even when the person moves, for example, vigorously bends at the waist, the hip hemlines can be surely prevented from rising.

In addition, the seamline L of the front body 11 and the back body 12 has a pattern which detours outward around the buttock top part 30 so as to avoid the top part 30. Accordingly, even if a pattern is employed in which the hip hemlines are downward elongated so as to envelop the hip lower region deeply, then unlike a conventional art in which the seamline L of the front body 11 and the back body 12 passes over the buttock top part 30, loose wrinkles or bagginess in the portion of the clothing such as shorts which corresponds to the hip lower region or the gluteal groove part is hardly produced when the person is in a standing posture, and the hips can be widely and deeply enveloped.

PRIOR DOCUMENT Patent Document

Patent Document 1 is International Publication No. WO2000/072707.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention

However, the above clothing such as shorts has disadvantages as follows. Although the seamlines L between the left and right edges 19, 19 of the back body 12 and the left and right edges 15, 15 of the front body 11 each detour outward around the buttock top part 30 so as to avoid the top part 30, yet the detoured seamlines L are located on the back of the shorts. As a result, when a person wears a tight outer garment thereover, lines elongating along the seamlines L may appear in a prominent manner if seen from behind the outer garment, thereby adversely affecting the appearance of the outer garment.

Furthermore, the strip-like rubber 31 is sewn to the back high-thigh-size portion ranging from a lower part of the front high-thigh-size portion 16 a up to the back high-thigh-size portion 16 b provided in the back body 12, and thereby, a stepped part is formed in the range of this back high-thigh-size portion. If seen from behind the outer garment, the seam of the strip-like rubber 31 may adversely affect, because of the thickness thereof, the appearance of the outer garment.

The invention has been conducted in order to solve the problems. It is an object of the invention to provide clothing such as shorts which is capable of neatly and deeply enveloping the lower region of the hips of a person, securely preventing hip hemlines thereof from rising, and keeping seamlines between the left and right edges of a back body and the left and right edges of a front body respectively as well as the edges of back high-thigh-size portions from adversely affecting the appearance of an outer garment worn thereover.

Means for Solving the Problems

The clothing such as shorts of a first aspect of the invention will be described using the characters and numerals given to FIGS. 1 to 14 for the purpose of making the subject matter of the invention easily understandable.

The clothing such as shorts includes a stretchable front body (11) formed bilaterally symmetrically with a front high-thigh-size portion (16 a) constituting a high-thigh size portion (16) and a stretchable back body (12) formed bilaterally symmetrically with a back high-thigh-size portion (16 b) constituting the high-thigh size portion (16) and is formed by sewing together left and right edges (15, 15) of the front body (11) and left and right edges (19, 19) of the back body (12) respectively, which is characterized in that: seamlines (L) between the left and right edges (15, 15) of the front body (11) and the left and right edges (19, 19) of the back body (12) respectively are positioned from both sides to the front region of the hips of a person, and the back body (12) is large enough to envelop the hips from both sides up to the back region and the gluteal groove part thereof; and the back high-thigh-size portion (16 b) of the back body (12) has an edge formed in a seamless hem manner, in a free cut, or in an overcast stitch for preventing the edge from fraying out.

In the clothing configured as described above, the back body (12) envelops the hips widely from both sides up to the back region and the gluteal groove part. Therefore, even when the person moves, for example, repeatedly bends at the waist, hip hemlines thereof can be effectively prevented from rising.

Particularly, the seamlines (L) between the left and right edges (15, 15) of the front body (11) and the left and right edges (19, 19) of the back body (12) are not located in the back region of the hips. Therefore, even when the person wears a tight and thin outer garment thereover, the seamlines (L) are not supposed to appear (or appear in a prominent manner) if seen from behind the outer garment, thereby making it possible to prevent an adverse effect on the buttock surface of the outer garment and an impairment in the appearance of the outer garment.

In addition, the back high-thigh-size portion (16 b) of the high-thigh size portion (16) has an edge formed in a seamless hem manner, in a free cut which means cutting and leaving the edge intact, or in an overcast stitch for preventing the edge from fraying out. Therefore, a stepped part is not formed in the back high-thigh-size portion (16 b), thereby improving the appearance of a hip lower portion of the outer garment.

The clothing such as shorts of a second aspect of the invention is characterized in that in the first aspect, the front high-thigh-size portion (16 a) is provided with a thigh front-part covering portion (24) made of fabric or lace and covering a front part of the thigh of the person, and the thigh front-part covering portion (24) is sewn to the front high-thigh-size portion (16 a) so as to protrude frontward from the front body (11) in a three-dimensional shape.

Since the thigh front-part covering portion (24) is sewn to the front high-thigh-size portion (16 a) so as to protrude frontward from the front body (11) in a three-dimensional shape, even if a person wearing the clothing sits down, then the thigh front-part covering portions (24) are not supposed to roll up and press against the thighs. This enables the person to move the legs more easily.

Particularly, the back high-thigh-size portion (16 b) is formed in a seamless hem manner, in a free cut which means cutting and leaving the edge thereof intact, or in an overcast stitch for preventing the edge from fraying out, and only the front high-thigh-size portion (16 a) has the thigh front-part covering portion (24) sewn thereto. Therefore, the person can move the legs more easily, and simultaneously, the back high-thigh-size portion (16 b) can be prevented from adversely affecting the appearance of the outer garment.

The clothing such as shorts of a third aspect of the invention is characterized in that in the first or second aspect, a width (P) between the lower ends of the left and right edges (19, 19) of the back body (12) is set to be larger than a width (H) between the lower ends of the left and right edges (15, 15) of the front body (11).

Since the width (P) between the lower ends of the left and right edges (19, 19) of the back body (12) is larger than the width (H) between the lower ends of the left and right edges (15, 15) of the front body (11), the hips can be widely enveloped from aside, thereby making it possible to more effectively prevent the hip hemlines from rising when the person bends and stretches.

The clothing such as shorts of a fourth aspect of the invention is characterized in that in the third aspect, if the width between the lower ends of the left and right edges (19, 19) of the back body (12) is P and the width between the lower ends of the left and right edges (15, 15) of the front body (11) is H, then a ratio P/H is set to fall within the range which is higher than one and equal to or lower than 2.5. If the ratio P/H is lower than one, then the hips cannot be adequately enveloped from aside. On the other hand, if the ratio P/H is higher than 2.5, then when the person is in a standing posture, loose wrinkles or bagginess tends to be produced in the portion of the clothing which corresponds to the hip lower region or the gluteal groove part of the person.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

The invention has the advantage of obtaining clothing such as shorts which is capable of enveloping the hip lower region neatly and deeply, preventing the hip hemlines from rising, and keeping the seamlines between the left and right edges of the back body and the left and right edges of the front body respectively as well as the edges of the back high-thigh-size portions from adversely affecting the appearance of an outer garment worn thereover.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of shorts of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the shorts.

FIG. 3 is a left side view of the shorts.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the shorts.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the shorts.

FIG. 6 is a development plan view of a front body, a back body and a gusset portion of the shorts.

FIGS. 7( a) and 7(b) are development plan views of the right half of the front body and a thigh front-part covering portion of the shorts, respectively.

FIG. 8 is a development plan view of a thigh front-part covering portion of another example.

FIGS. 9( a) and 9(b) are development plan views of the right half of a front body and a thigh front-part covering portion of another example of the shorts, respectively.

FIG. 10 is a front view of shorts of another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a rear view of the shorts.

FIG. 12 is a left side view of the shorts.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of the shorts.

FIG. 14 is a bottom view of the shorts.

FIG. 15 is a front view of shorts of a conventional art example.

FIG. 16 is a rear view showing the shorts in a worn state.

FIG. 17 is a development plan view of a front body, a back body and a gusset portion of the shorts.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the clothing such as shorts of the invention will be below described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 6, shorts 10 of an embodiment of the invention include, as main configuring members thereof, a front body 11, a back body 12 and a gusset portion 13, and these members are each made of stretchable fabric.

In FIG. 6, the front body 11 is provided with a waist portion 14 and left and right edges 15, 15 intersecting at the left and right ends of the waist portion 14 respectively. The front body 11 is provided at the lower end thereof with front high-thigh-size portions 16 a, 16 a constituting high-thigh size portions (leg openings) 16, 16, the front high-thigh-size portions 16 a, 16 a being cut inward and opened downward in a bilaterally symmetrical form, and an inner-crotch front portion 17 between the left and right front high-thigh-size portions 16 a, 16 a. The front body 11 is formed so that the left and right edges 15, 15 intersect with the left and right front high-thigh-size portions 16 a, 16 a respectively at the lower ends thereof.

As shown in FIG. 6, portions of the left and right edges 15, 15 of the front body 11 which extend from vertical intermediate positions to the lower ends of the left and right edges 15, 15 are each formed into an outward-convex arcuately curved edge 15 a. The curves of the curved edges 15 a are employed in order to form a shape approximating as far as possible to the curved shape of the hip lower region of a person which is drawn when the person is seated on a chair or is in another such posture. If the radius of the whole curved edges 15 a is small, loose wrinkles are easily produced in the corresponding portions when the person is in a standing posture. In order to solve this, preferably, portions 15 b (portions which cover the part immediately above the gluteal groove part of the person) of the curved edges 15 a which are lower than vertical intermediate positions thereof may be formed into a linear or gently curved shape. In shorts of an ordinary size, preferably, an angle a formed by the front high-thigh-size portion 16 a and the lower portion 15 b of the curved edge 15 a may be set to 25 to 80°, more preferably 45 to 60°.

As shown in FIG. 6, the back body 12 is made up of left and right back bodies 12 a, 12 a formed by dividing the back body 12 laterally in two. The left and right back bodies 12 a, 12 a are each provided with: a waist portion 27; a back-center formation edge 18 which intersects at the left end of the left-hand waist portion 27 and at the right end of the right-hand waist portion 27 and corresponds to the position of a back center line T (see FIG. 2) of the back body 12; a front-body-side edge 19 corresponding to the left edge or the right edge of the back body 12; a back high-thigh-size portion (a hip hemline) 16 b which intersects at the lower end of the front-body-side edge 19 and constitutes the high-thigh size portion 16; and an inner-crotch-back formation portion 20 connecting the lower end of the back-center formation edge 18 and the back high-thigh-size portion 16 b. The back body 12 is formed by sewing together the back-center formation edges 18, 18 of the left and right back bodies 12 a, 12 a, and an inner-crotch back portion 21 is formed by both of the inner-crotch-back formation portions 20, 20.

The back-center formation edges 18, 18 of the left and right back bodies 12 a, 12 a are sewn together at the place corresponding to the hollow part in the middle of the hips. Therefore, even if the sewing is not conducted in an especially flat manner, the appearance of an outer garment worn over the shorts 10 is not adversely affected. Hence, the type of sewing is not particularly limited.

Furthermore, in order to dispense with the sewing of the back-center formation edges 18, 18 of the left and right back bodies 12 a, 12 a, the back body 12 may be formed by a single stretchable fabric as the united left and right back bodies 12 a, 12 a.

As shown in FIG. 6, a distance A between a front center line S of the front body 11 and the upper end of each of the left and right edges 15, 15 is set to be substantially equal to a distance B between the upper end of each of the front-body-side edges 19, 19 and the upper end of the back center line T of the back body 12.

The front body 11 and the back body 12 cut out in this way are formed into a tubular shape by sewing together the left and right edges 15, 15 and the right edge (the front-body-side edge) 19 of the left back body 12 a and the left edge (the front-body-side edge) 19 of the right back body 12 a, in other words, the left and right edges 19, 19 of the back body 12, respectively (see FIGS. 1 to 5). In the same way as the conventional art shown in FIGS. 15 to 17, the front body 11 is cut out so that the left and right edges 15, 15 intersect with the left and right front high-thigh-size portions 16 a, 16 a respectively at the lower ends thereof and so that portions of the left and right edges 15, 15 extending from vertical intermediate positions to the lower ends thereof are each formed into the outward-convex curved edge 15 a. Further, the portion 15 b lower than a vertical intermediate position of the curved edge 15 a is formed into a linear or curved shape. Then, the left and right edges 15, 15 of the front body 11 are sewn to the left and right edges 19, 19 of the back body 12 respectively. Therefore, an adequate three-dimensional bulge approximating to the shape of the hip lower region and the gluteal groove part can be obtained in the vicinity of the hip hem, and thereby, the back high-thigh-size portions (the hip hemlines) 16 b can be deeply fitted to the gluteal groove part to deeply envelop the hip lower region. Accordingly, even when the person moves, for example, sits on a chair or vigorously bends at the waist, the back high-thigh-size portions (the hip hemlines) 16 b can be prevented from rising.

Particularly, it should be noticed that as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, seamlines L between the left and right edges 15, 15 of the front body 11 and the front-body-side edges 19, 19 equivalent to the left and right edges of the back body 12 respectively are positioned on both left and right sides of the front/back of the shorts 10 so as to come to the parts on both sides of the hips. Therefore, the seamlines L are supposed to appear in a less prominent manner if seen from behind the outer garment, thereby preventing an adverse effect on the appearance of the outer garment.

Alternatively, the respective seamlines L may be positioned on the left and right sides of the front of the shorts 10.

The inner-crotch front portion 17 formed at the lower end of the middle of the front body 11 and the inner-crotch back portion 21 formed at the lower end of the middle of the back body 12 are connected to each other by the gusset portion 13. The high-thigh size portion (the leg opening) 16 is formed by endlessly connecting: the downward-opened portion of the front high-thigh-size portion 16 a of the front body 11; the back high-thigh-size portion 16 b which connects the lower end of each of the left and right edges 19, 19 of the back body 12 and the inner-crotch back portion 21; and an edge 23 of the gusset portion 13.

The front high-thigh-size portion 16 a of the high-thigh size portion 16 is provided with a thigh front-part covering portion 24 made of fabric and covering a front part of the thigh of the person. The thigh front-part covering portion 24 is sewn thereto so as to protrude frontward from the front body 11 in a three-dimensional shape, thereby enabling the person to move the legs easily. In order to sew the thigh front-part covering portion 24 so as to protrude frontward from the front body 11 in a three-dimensional shape, as shown in FIG. 7( b), the thigh front-part covering portion 24 is formed with a convex portion 25 which includes a convex curve 25 a having a radius of curvature larger than the radius of curvature of the concave curve of the front high-thigh-size portion 16 a shown in FIG. 7( a), and the convex portion 25 is sewn to the front high-thigh-size portion 16 a along the concave curve thereof. Alternatively, the thigh front-part covering portion 24 formed linearly as shown in FIG. 8 may be sewn along the concave curve of the front high-thigh-size portion 16 a shown in FIG. 7( a). Or alternatively, as shown in FIG. 9( a), the front high-thigh-size portion 16 a may be formed in a V-shape. The thigh front-part covering portion 24 is formed, as shown in FIG. 9( b), with a convex portion 26 having an apical angle θ1 which is larger than an angle θ2 of the V-shape of the front high-thigh-size portion 16 a, and the convex portion 26 is sewn to the V-shaped front high-thigh-size portion 16 a.

In order to suppress an adverse effect on the appearance of the outer garment, the edge of the back high-thigh-size portion 16 b of the high-thigh size portion 16 is formed in a seamless hem manner, in a free cut which means cutting and leaving the edge intact without treating the edge, or in an overcast stitch for preventing the edge from fraying out.

As the stretchable fabric of the back body 12, in order to prevent the edge of the back high-thigh-size portion 16 b cut out and left intact from fraying out, a free-cut material is employed such as a stretchable warp knitted fabric and a weft knitted fabric which has a fraying preventive function. The stretchable warp knitted fabric has, as the base thereof, a 1×1 knit structure formed by running a non-elastic yarn and an elastic yarn together (e.g., refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-147618). The weft knitted fabric is a knitted fabric which is formed by knitting a heat-fused elastic yarn and a yarn other than this and melting the heat-fused elastic yarn in heat setting to give a fraying preventive function thereto, and this knitted fabric is knitted by subjecting the heat-fused elastic yarn and the other yarn to plating (e.g., refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-113349).

As shown in FIG. 6, a width P between the lower ends of the left and right edges 19, 19 of the back body 12 is set to be larger than a width H between the lower ends of the left and right edges 15, 15 of the front body 11. Specifically, if the width between the lower ends of the left and right edges 19, 19 of the back body 12 is P and the width between the lower ends of the left and right edges 15, 15 of the front body 11 is H, then a ratio P/H is set to fall within the range which is higher than one and equal to or lower than 2.5. Since the width P between the lower ends of the left and right edges 19, 19 of the back body 12 is larger than the width H between the lower ends of the left and right edges 15, 15 of the front body 11, the hips can be widely enveloped from aside, thereby more effectively preventing the hip hemlines from rising when the person bends and stretches.

The waist portion 14 of the front body 11 and the waist portions 27 of the back body 12 are provided, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, with a stretch lace 28 sewn thereto.

In the above embodiment, the thigh front-part covering portion 24 covering a front part of the thigh is made of the fabric which has no lacework. Instead of this, as shown in FIGS. 10 to 14, the thigh front-part covering portion 24 may be made of lace and sewn to the front high-thigh-size portion 16 a so as to protrude frontward from the front body 11 in a three-dimensional shape. This enables the person to move the legs easily and contributes toward obtaining shorts which are elegant and excellent in design.

The invention is not limited to shorts and may be similarly applied to pants, a bathing suit, a leotard or the like, and further, briefs for men.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SYMBOLS

-   10: shorts -   11: front body -   12: back body -   15, 15: left and right edges of the front body -   15 a: curved edge -   15 b: lower portion -   16: high-thigh size portion (leg opening) -   16 a: front high-thigh-size portion -   16 b: back high-thigh-size portion -   19: left and right edges of the back body -   24: thigh front-part covering portion -   L: seamline -   P: width between the lower ends of the left and right edges 19, 19 -   H: width between the lower ends of the left and right edges 15, 15 

1. Clothing such as shorts which includes a stretchable front body (11) formed bilaterally symmetrically with a front high-thigh-size portion (16 a) constituting a high-thigh size portion (16) and a stretchable back body (12) formed bilaterally symmetrically with a back high-thigh-size portion (16 b) constituting the high-thigh size portion (16) and is formed by sewing together left and right edges (15, 15) of the front body (11) and left and right edges (19, 19) of the back body (12) respectively, wherein: seamlines (L) between the left and right edges (15, 15) of the front body (11) and the left and right edges (19, 19) of the back body (12) respectively are positioned from both sides to the front region of the hips of a person, and the back body (12) is large enough to envelop the hips from both sides up to the back region and the gluteal groove part thereof; and the back high-thigh-size portion (16 b) of the back body (12) has an edge formed in a seamless hem manner, in a free cut, or in an overcast stitch for preventing the edge from fraying out.
 2. The clothing such as shorts according to claim 1, wherein the front high-thigh-size portion (16 a) of the high-thigh size portion (16) is provided with a thigh front-part covering portion (24) made of fabric or lace and covering a front part of the thigh of the person, and the thigh front-part covering portion (24) is sewn to the front high-thigh-size portion (16 a) so as to protrude frontward from the front body (11) in a three-dimensional shape.
 3. The clothing such as shorts according to claim 1, wherein a width (P) between the lower ends of the left and right edges (19, 19) of the back body (12) is set to be larger than a width (H) between the lower ends of the left and right edges (15, 15) of the front body (11).
 4. The clothing such as shorts according to claim 3, wherein if the width between the lower ends of the left and right edges (19, 19) of the back body (12) is P and the width between the lower ends of the left and right edges (15, 15) of the front body (11) is H, then a ratio P/H is set to fall within the range which is higher than one and equal to or lower than 2.5.
 5. The clothing such as shorts according to claim 2, wherein a width (P) between the lower ends of the left and right edges (19, 19) of the back body (12) is set to be larger than a width (H) between the lower ends of the left and right edges (15, 15) of the front body (11).
 6. The clothing such as shorts according to claim 5, wherein if the width between the lower ends of the left and right edges (19, 19) of the back body (12) is P and the width between the lower ends of the left and right edges (15, 15) of the front body (11) is H, then a ratio P/H is set to fall within the range which is higher than one and equal to or lower than 2.5. 